1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reinforcing structure for a vehicle body front part, and more specifically relates to a reinforcing structure at a corner portion formed by a dash panel disposed at the vehicle body front part and a dash side panel disposed at each of both end portions of the dash panel.
2. Description of Related Art
A reinforcing structure for a vehicle body front part has been heretofore proposed. In this reinforcing structure, a reinforcing member receives load applied on a dash panel and dash side panels upon collision of the vehicle, thereby suppressing deformation of the vehicle body front part (see, for example, JP 2003-154968 A).
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventional reinforcing structure for a vehicle body front part.
As shown in FIG. 5, a front body 21 located in a front part of a vehicle body 1 is provided with a dash panel 22, and a dash side panel 23 extending in a vehicle front-rear direction is disposed on each of both end portions of the dash panel 22 in a vehicle width direction.
As shown in FIG. 5, a flange portion 22a of the dash panel 22 and a flange portion 23a of the dash side panel 23 are connected to each other by spot welding. A side panel 24 is provided on an outer side of the dash side panel 23 in the vehicle width direction. The side panel 24 is connected to the dash side panel 23 at a position near the connection portion between the flange portion 22a of the dash panel 22 and the flange portion 23a of the dash side panel 23.
As shown in FIG. 5, a corner portion 25 formed by the flange portion 22a of the dash panel 22 and the flange portion 23a of the dash side panel 23 is provided with a reinforcing member (brace) 26. The reinforcing member 26 is formed of a plate-like material that is extended in a vehicle vertical direction, and is curved to form an L shape along the corner portion 25.
As shown in FIG. 5, a first end portion 26a of the reinforcing member 26 at the side of the dash panel 22 is mounted on the dash panel 22 with a first reinforcing component 27 interposed therebetween. The first end portion 26a of the reinforcing member 26 is fastened to the first reinforcing component 27 by a first bolt 28 and a first nut 32.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, a second end portion 26b of the reinforcing member 26 at the side of the dash side panel 23 is fastened to the dash side panel 23 by a second bolt 30 and a second nut 33 while being backed with a second reinforcement component 29.
The conventional reinforcing structure for a vehicle body front part of FIG. 5 is assembled by the following procedures.
First, the flange portion 22a of the dash panel 22 and the flange portion 23a of the dash side panel 23 are connected to each other by spot welding.
Next, a sealer 31 is applied to the connection portion between the flange portion 22a of the dash panel 22 and the flange portion 23a of the dash side panel 23.
Then, the reinforcing member 26 is fastened to the first reinforcing component 27 by the first bolt 28 and the first nut 32.
Finally, the reinforcing member 26 is fastened by the second bolt 30 and the second nut 33.
The assembling of the conventional reinforcing structure for a vehicle body front part is completed by the above procedures.
Unfortunately, the conventional reinforcing structure of FIG. 5 has the following problem. Specifically, since the reinforcing member 26 is not extended in the horizontal direction, the reinforcing member 26 cannot sufficiently support the load applied in the horizontal direction when the vehicle body front part receives an impact due to a collision of the vehicle. Accordingly, the dash panel 22 and the dash side panel 23 do not have sufficient strength.
Moreover, in the conventional reinforcing structure, the reinforcing component 26 has to be mounted at a step in the finishing section because the sealer 31 is applied at the coating step.
Furthermore, in the assembling procedures of the conventional reinforcing structure, the reinforcing member 26 is mounted at the step in the finishing section which is the final section. Thus, the intermediate assembly is transported and assembled with other components without having stiffness secured in connection between the dash panel 22 and the dash side panel 23. Thus, misalignment between the dash panel 22 and the dash side panel 23 (difference in position between the first and the second bolts 28 and 30 and the like) is likely to occur at the transporting and the mounting of other components.
This produces problems in that, when the misalignment occurs, an operator has to mount the reinforcing member 26 while compensating for the misalignment at the step in the finishing section, and in addition, that heavy work load is imposed on the operator at the step in the finishing section due to low workability of the operation inside the cabin.
Still furthermore, the reinforcing member 26 is fixed using the first and the second bolts 28 and 30 in the conventional case. Thus, when the dash panel 22 or the like is directly provided with holes for the bolts, the positions of the holes have to be provided with sealing measures to prevent liquid or sound from entering the cabin.
On the other hand, when the dash panel 22 or the like is not directly provided with holes for the bolts, the reinforcing member 26 is fixed to the dash panel 22 with another component (for example, the first reinforcing component 27 and the like) interposed therebetween.
As described above, in any of the cases, there is a problem in that the conventional structure in which the reinforcing member 26 is fixed using the bolts requires a cost for the components and the like and additional assembling steps.
If the reinforcing member 26 is mounted at a vehicle body section instead of the finishing section, facilities and cost have to be increased. This is because an elaborate procedure such as sandwiching the sealer 31 between the flange portion 22a of the dash panel 22 and the flange portion 23a of the dash side panel 23 is required to apply the sealer 31 to the connecting portion between the flange portion 22a and the flange portion 23a. 